


The Clay Assassin

by eliscina



Category: Danganronpa
Genre: Danganronpa After Story, Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony - Freeform, Danganronpa v3 After Story, danganronpa - Freeform, danganronpa v3
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-14
Updated: 2018-06-14
Packaged: 2019-05-23 03:43:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,505
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14926475
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eliscina/pseuds/eliscina
Summary: Following the events of the Final Killing Game, Maki Harukawa is returned to the "real" world. A year later, returning to the public eye for the first time, Maki is given a strange offer for a tour and experiences the effect she's had.





	The Clay Assassin

**Author's Note:**

> Danganronpa v3 Spoilers! Don't read if you haven't finished

Chapter 1

A cool spring breeze blew through my window, gently pushing my strands of long black hair into the breeze as I ran my brush through their tangled swirls. My glare hovered into the lower half of the bathroom mirror, downcast, yet raised enough so to see my brush glide through my hair.

It had been a year since The Final Killing Game had ended. A year since I reemerged into what those around me called the “real” world. 

The writers at Team Danganronpa, fearing public outcry, checked Shuichi, Himiko, and myself into remedial therapy to ensure we had not received traumatic shock from the events of the game.

There was one problem, though.

When did I emerge into this reality? I’d recently discovered after a hunting expedition with my father I had lost my talents as an assassin, yet I feel no different even after strict therapy. 

The sound of my hairbrush grinding against my palm snapped me back into reality. I scanned my outfit in the mirror, adjusting my shirt bow and intricately tucked my shirt into my black skirt. Today was the day I would fully return to the real world. The start of a new semest--

Before I could even finish the thought, I felt my teeth clench themselves and my hands reflexively clung to one of my strands of hair. The thought of school terrified me, yet while the why seemed obvious, I couldn’t piece it together within my clogged mind. Was it the fear of another killing game happening under my nose? Was it the lack of trust I still couldn’t feel towards any person with worry they’d hurt me?

The answers to these questions seemed to stare into my blank eyes, invisible and unreachable yet so close. Whatever they were, they’d have to wait.

Mother knocked quietly on my door, signaling that my time in the bathroom was up. Quickly fumbling to put away the toiletries, I grabbed my school bag and walked outside to the car.

My parents were randomly selected from a group of submissions of older couples who failed to bear children. They seemed to have wanted Shuichi or Himiko over myself, though I don’t really blame them. “Ultimate Detective.” “Ultimate Magician.” “Ultimate Assassin.” Our 3 false names rang in my head as my pace towards the car slowed. People likely would hate us for our morbid curiosity.

At least they’d have use. An assassin without her blade or gun is just nothing.

Though… were we ever anything?

I let the thought bounce in my head as I arrived to the car, bag in tow. My “father” was smoking a large electronic cigar, holding it between his coiled lips, which were currently set in a large grin. He was a kind man to me. His eyes and look were genuine and his smile contrasted his seemingly gruff look. He had been the only person to genuinely welcome me after the end of the Final Killing Game. I just… couldn’t accept him as my father. I don’t even know who my real parents are, anymore. Did they die?

Did… they abandon me because of the Killing Game?

I stifled a choked sob as I entered the front passenger car door, forcing a smile to be plastered across my face. Father said good morning, grabbing my shoulder and lightly jerking me back and forth in forced anticipation.

“So, today’s the big day, eh sport? Today marks your true return to normalcy. Haha!” 

His laugh boomed throughout our small car. It was the laugh of a truly happy, nonchalant man who was happy to be alive. I was envious of him, I admit. While I was lost in thought again, my father revved the car engine and began the short drive to my new school. It was on the way to his work, so he’d said he’d take me every morning. He’s always so thoughtful.

The high school I was attending was nothing special. Earlier in the week, we had toured during the regular spring break. It was alright, it looked nice but was just your run of the mill school.

I think that’s what scared me the most. Normalcy.   
Because that’s what leads to another Killing Game.

Chapter 2

He dropped me off right out front, and patted my head to wish me luck, driving off shortly after I exited the car. I let a soft sigh out, shook my head and walked indoors.

The lady who stood to greet new students at the door wreaked of old perfume, and her personality even more so. She stood poised at the doorway, perfectly straight in posture and just as proper. Her voice was almost regal, unfitting for such a low-brow high school. Her brow was laced with drips of emerging sweat, as if she was hiding some unspoken fear, too. She eyed each incoming student, searching for someone. That’s when her gaze locked on me. She stared in my direction, biting her lower lip for a few seconds before returning to her poised posture.

I grabbed my tied hair, a small pout forming on my face as I immersed myself in the pool of students. I soon arrived at my first class, sat on the window line of seats, and buried my head in between my hands. 

The day could not have gone by any slower. My teachers with their fake smiles and fake enthusiasm instructed us on what we would be doing in each class, as if names like “Algebra” and “Physics” weren’t enough to figure that out. 

It was at lunch I found them again. The void black ahoge cut through the rest of the students’ appearances. Our eyes locked together, as Shuichi’s seemingly empty expression quickly changed to a flicker of happiness and hope. He approached me, both of us seeming confused by this normal atmosphere. 

Behind him was a short puff of red hair, who I quickly deduced from her small stature was Himiko. Somehow, we had been fortunate enough to attend the same high school. I’m sure that was done to isolate us together. Whatever the reason as to why, I was nonetheless pleased to see them again. 

My delight and gratitude was interrupted by a hug. Shuichi had come up to me, tears slowly dripping down his cheeks, and burrowed his head between mine and my shoulders. 

“Maki… I’m so glad to see you again… It’s been a while.”

Team Danganronpa had separated us following our therapy into different households. We hadn’t really been able to communicate because of our reimersion process into the real world, so it had been months since any of us had spoken. 

“Ah.. Shuichi! I’m glad too. I, um… missed you both.” My cheeks flushed a light red, my eyes naturally shifting downwards to avoid locking eyes with him.

I’d always admired Shuichi. He was stronger than anyone in that game. He gave us all freedom with his rejection of the game, and I respected his dedication. 

“Maki! You’re looking great! I missed you too!”

Himiko’s frail voice had been replaced by that of a strong, matured woman. The experience had caused her to become more self-reliant, and her willpower and grown exponentially as well. I was proud of her. 

The three of us began talking normally, discussing our new households and daily lives following our release. Lunch passed somewhat quickly, and we checked each other’s schedules only to find we had no classes together. Of course.

The rest of the day passed without incident. More fake teachers, more fake smiles. They were easy to understand, with none really standing out above the rest.

Outside of school, my father awaited me in his same chrome-colored car. He would pick me up and drop me off at home during his break at work, and return for a few hours after. The drive home was peaceful, and the short time passed with his ponderous questions regarding how my day was. 

A sleek black van stood directly on the street in front of my door. First approaching it, it seemed somewhat out of place, but that’s when the familiar logo appeared.

Chapter 3

The van had been adorned with the logo of Team Danganronpa. In that very instant, time stood completely still as my mind ran through the several possibilities in which I could run far, far away from that van. My hand clasped the car door handle, rapidly shaking it out of fear, causing my father to become aware of my alarm. He had yet to notice the van, but out of confusion and worry for my sake he scanned the area, finally meeting eyes with the company logo.

“Oh god… Maki, dear, it’ll be okay, I promise. No one wants to put you into a new killing game. No one wants to hurt you anymore, I swear. It’ll be okay, all right?” 

I could form no reply except to burrow my head in his chest, tears gliding down my face as my mind was once again filled with horrible memories from that sick game. Monokuma. My friends being murdered by own friends. Those same friends dying at the hands of a sick execution. Protesting the killing game. Losing Kaede. Losing Tenko. Losing Gonta. Losing Kokichi.

Losing… Kaito...

At this point, I was in a full uncontrollable sob. My father welcomed me with open arms after parking the car across the street, gently rubbing the back of my head and back to comfort me. Some time passed before he prodded me away.

“Maki, I’m going to go figure out what’s happening, alright? You stay here and make sure you keep the doors locked until I tell you it’s okay to leave.”

I nodded back through my choked sobs. My father quickly exited the vehicle, leaving me in a fetal ball on my seat, trying to bury myself away from sight. All was silent for a few seconds until I heard yelling.

“What the hell are you doing here? Hasn’t the public told you we don’t want your games anymore? Get away from my daughter!” His tirade went on before he let anyone else speak. He… seemed to be holding this back for a while… 

If anyone in the Team Danganronpa van had a reply, I couldn’t hear it. They spoke in quiet, calm murmurs, probably so I couldn’t hear them. They were trying to take me back, I just know it. 

My father still stood, teeth clenched and hands balled into fists for some time until his grip lightened and his posture changed. He… believed them? He was listening to them? Why..?

I clasped my head, forcing it deeper in between my legs as my teeth began to audibly chatter. Why would he betray me like this? He probably really hates me, doesn’t he? He’s scared of me and wants to get rid of me. But I can’t hurt anybody anymore… why should he be scared? 

I don’t know how long I had spent in my disillusioned ball when I heard a knock at the window, followed by the sound of a car door opening.

“Maki..? What’s wrong? It’s all okay, please calm down…”

Father grabbed my sweaty arm. “Get away from me, you backstabber! You’re trying to pawn me off to another Killing Game, aren’t you? I won’t let you!” 

I jerked my arm back, forcing him to release his grip as I retreated towards the car door. “Maki, it’s alright. There won’t be another game. Some of the writers at Team Danganronpa wanted to talk to you, that’s all. They um… They want to show you something. I promise it’s something good, and if it’s not you can chew me out all you want. I promise.”

Promise… The word seemed so fake. So… unreal. While I was an assassin, the idea of “promises” was nothing more than a running joke for me. But after the events of the Final Killing Game, and what Shuichi said…

Maybe trusting this promise wouldn’t hurt me in the end.

Chapter 4

Father escorted me inside, tucking my body between his broad chest and arm. I’m sure I looked deranged to the staff members outside. But they did this to me. It’s their fault for putting us in such an awful game. 

He sat me down at our kitchen table, squeezing my wrist before hurrying outside to escort two men in. Their figures were hunched `in nature, the left repeatedly rubbing their hands together in anxiety, the right clenching his right wrist, squeezing what seemed to be an expensive watch, and he was oddly near-completely covering its watchface. I couldn’t make out what brand it was, but the band looked exquisite. 

Father repositioned the table chairs so that there were two adjacent chairs opposite me, before standing with arms crossed behind me. His figure loomed behind me, and felt so powerful and strong. In response, I clenched my hands into a fist, pumping them slightly and nodding once. 

I’m going to face this. I repeated the short phrase over and over in my head, turning to face the two figures opposite me.

The watchless figure pulled a thin folder out of a bag he sat near his chair, neatly arranging the files into a pristine, orderly manner. The other figure whispered to the man, pointing at a specific file and nodding. I then saw the left figure pull out a stapler stack of sheets.

The top sheet in this stack contained a photograph of me upon entering the Final Killing Game.   
Chapter 5

The table we sat at was naturally small in size. After all, it was just me and my new parents. If I wanted to, I could easily grab the right figure’s gaudy watch and rip it straight from his hands. 

The left figure broke the chains of silence holding this room.  
“Ahem… Miss Harukawa?”   
He spoke with perfect clarity, and the draw of confidence seemed to erase any trace of anxiety he had upon entering.

“Miss Harukawa, I know there must be a lot still going through your mind at the moment. And we would like to deeply apologize for the events we helped transpire for so long… We fully understand the repercussions of our actions and we would like to both apologize and offer you a deal to prove this,” the left figure continued.

Any and all fuse that this situation could have left me burnt in mere milliseconds.

“Don’t you dare talk to me. I don’t want your apology. I don’t want to hear anything out of your damn mouth ever again. You let so many people die, you inhuman scum! You deserve to die in everyone else’s stead!” My voice raised higher with each sentence, my hands clasping for a knife that wouldn’t appear.

“Maki, calm down! Please listen to them. You know all of us here are to blame for supporting this, please hear them out. They wouldn’t come here to hurt you. I mean come on, they’re already under strict public surveillance, anyway.” The soothing voice of my father restored the fuse in the same span. Whether either figure had something to say, I couldn’t notice as the right figure continued on:

“We would like to create a new Danganronpa. In this instance, it would not be a killing game, but instead we would like to introduce you to the public sphere and show the three of you the real influence you’ve had on everyone while documenting it and your lives following the cruel Final Game. Call it a personal apology from the departed Ms. Shirogane, if you will.”

His voice was fumbling, and his speech seemed quite unprepared even though the files proved otherwise. The rest of the papers were separated into two stacks about as thick as mine, both stapled together and separated by a larger border. And that watch… how could he wear something so gaudy? 

Part of me wanted to slam the door on all of them. But part of me… wanted to believe them.   
“Fine… go on.” The words stammered out of my mouth. They could probably tell I was faking…

“As I’m sure you know, Mr. Saihara and Ms. Yumeno are attending the same school. We originally planned for the three of you to carry on with normal lives, but we recently discovered Tsumug— I mean, Ms. Shirogane had wanted to make amends. And thus, we would like to take the three of you on a world tour, and show you just how you’ve changed all of us.”

“W-What? I didn’t do anything, it was all Shuichi..!” I looked away, my face flushed a deep red. I admit, it was nice to finally hear some proper praise, but most of it belonged to Shuichi after all.

“Yes, well… without you, Mr. Saihara, or Ms. Yumeno, it wouldn’t have been possible. You were really strong,” the right figure continued, “I um… my sister Chiaki participated in the 2nd and 25th killing game, you see… I’d like to thank you for ending all of it.”

“A-Ah… I see…” A tinge of guilt masked my confusion. “You’re welcome, then? I’m… sorry to hear about your sister… I can’t imagine how terrible that is.” The left figure, likely fearing the conversation’s direction, butted in:

“Let’s not dwell on the past, shall we? And in any case, we’d like to take you out of school in about a month. You don’t need to attend that at all- you’ve honestly become a celebrity to the public.” 

“W-What? I thought you wanted these children to live a normal life?” Father butted in, clutching his chin and stroking his stubble, somewhat agitated.

The watched figure chuckled, “Ah, well… reality isn’t so ‘kind,’ it seems. The public doesn’t want you to bear that burden. So what do you say, will you come with us? We can give you two weeks to think.”

Burden? How can a life devoid of killing games ever be a burden? How could a life without the worry of your friends betraying each other ever be as bad? 

But… I don’t really know this world too well, so I can’t really say I know whether or not a normal life would be painful. I suppose I should give this guy a chance.

“Alright, fine. I’ll consider it,” I turned away, “and thank you. I… want things to end on the best note too.”

The figures both responded in unison. “Thank you, Ms. Harukawa. We await your response.”

The two men gathered their things, their mannerisms and attitude more upbeat than when they entered, and quietly left. 

Chapter 6

I retreated to my room as soon as humanly possible, and swaddled myself within my bedsheets to think. Should I go along with this? Have they talked to Shuichi or Himiko yet? What do they think? Do they think this is a lie too? I had to go talk to them as soon as possible tomorrow.

Borderline-forceful knocking interrupted my thoughts yet again. Father walked in, gently opening the door and wordlessly sitting on the foot of my bed to look at me. His breathing seemed erratic, yet with one careful inhale it returned to a solemn and steady pace. His gaze met mine, and for what seemed like an eternity he looked towards me before unfurling his lips.

“You’re scared, aren’t you? I would be too. But.. I think we should trust them. I think he’s being honest: a lot of my coworkers told me they’d be really happy to meet you sometime.” He formed a coy grin, before grabbing my shoulder and squeezing it.

He’s lying, isn’t he? Why would they want to meet a cold-blooded assassin? He’s tricking me, I’m sure of it. They wouldn’t want to meet me, they’d want to meet Shuichi or Himiko! They’re much better people than I am..! I covered myself completely in the top sheets of my bed, curled into my own personal cocoon. 

“Maki, please! I promise I’m not lying. You’re not a bad person like you think you are! I promise reality isn’t the same as what you were told to believe! I’ll show you, I promise. On Sunday, you’ll come with me to work and I’ll show you. Please believe me, okay?” His tone bled of desperation. I couldn’t help but wince.

Sunday. It wasn’t far off, but I had tomorrow to mentally prepare myself. I.. guess I should give him a chance. He’s done more for me than anyone but Shuichi has.

“Fine. I’ll go with you. And I’ll think about the offer, too.” I couldn’t believe what I was saying. Though to be fair, what other option did I have?

“Thank you so much! I’ll leave you be now, rest up for school tomorrow, okay? You’ve got a busy few days ahead of you!” Father chuckled once more, quietly getting up and exiting my cavern.

Just a few days, huh. A few days until I’m once again watched by the public eye. Already swathed in my bedsheets, I grabbed the nearest pillow, untucked my head, and drifted off to sleep.

 

Chapter 7

Your next target: Oto Sagiri. Eliminate him by next week at 8 o’clock sharp or you know what happens. See Katherine for your weapons and details. Over.

Katherine handed me a file. Inside were files covering the strengths and weaknesses of Sagiri’s men and Sagiri himself. His two top agents were a man and woman, who Sagiri saved when they were young teenagers. The woman had a small figure, hair shaped like a bowl had been placed upon her head since birth. The man had a demure yet fiercely loyal personality. Sagiri wore a mask to cover his face from sight at all times, though he rarely changed it. He was a magnate of the hovercar industry, and industrialized the first middle-class friendly hovering automobile, which he ran using overworked, underpaid immigrant laborers who he illegally brought into the country and would force out if they didn’t follow his demands.

He was pathetic. An easy kill. He often isolated himself in his penthouse suite, so an aerial elimination would be the way to go. Stealthy and gunless, of course; it would be more fun that way. 

The trip there was tiring yet brief. He was located in the central province of the capital, and nestled in a cluster of skyscrapers. Of course, he pointed himself out in an effort to be unique by building the largest penthouse in the capital, covered in a red wallpaper. Not only did he stick out like a sore thumb, he looked like one, too. Pathetic.

The aerial descent was easy and noiseless. I landed on the balcony underneath the penthouse suite, hidden from view. Climbing up to the top, I unsheathed my combat knife and crawled to where Sagiri kept himself.

A single slash removed the mask covering Sagiri’s face. His hair was void black, yet bounced into orderly spikes pointing towards the sky. His scream was bloodcurdling, but he quickly recovered himself and pulled out a dagger he kept intertwined with his belt.

A knife fight would decide our fates. It had to be quick. 

I launched myself at Sagiri, missing his arm and fumbling forward into him. Leaping back before he could grab me, I stabbed at his hand, grazing his finger. Sagiri clawed at me with the knife, slicing my dominant arm twice causing me to stumble back.

My teeth clenched together habitually, and I stifled a scream. It hurt badly. I countered this attack by reaching for his leg and attempting to claw at it, stopped by a kick to the gut.

I fell over, writhing in pain. He drew his dagger, grabbed me by my shirt cuff, and--

I woke up dripping in sweat. Another nightmare where I couldn’t do my job… I quickly redressed myself in every effort to calm down, heading to the bathroom. I splashed water on my face, staring into my own reflection. 

After some time passed reflecting, I headed to the kitchen and grabbed a breakfast bar, saying goodbye to my mother and walking towards the car. My father was still tired. He must’ve been up late last night again. He had to return to work late, probably to finish up the last few hours he missed when he was home with me. The poor guy…

The drive to the school was silent, save for the sound of my snacking and the AM radio describing the news of the day. If he noticed anything off about me, he avoided mentioning it. 

School passed like normal. The same boring teachers awaited me. The same fake liars stood at the head of the room, feigning some unnatural superiority over me. Thankfully, lunch came quick and I headed towards Shuichi and Himiko. Their demeanors were different from yesterday’s. I sat down next to him.

“Ah, hey Maki..!” He sounded so forced. Poor guy. “Did you, um, get visited by them yesterday, too?” I figured that was why they looked so upset.

“Yeah. What do you guys think? Should we do it?” Himiko, lost in her own thoughts, instinctively replied.

“Well, either way, we’re all in this together. Either none of us does this, or all of us does, alright? We stick together from now on.”

The three of us glanced at each other, nodding in unison. Himiko broke the silence, humming a happy tune before remembering, “Oh right, guys! We each have phones, right? Let’s add each other and talk! We can discuss this later tonight, too! And Maki, let us know how Sunday goes, okay?”

Ah, that’s right! Father had given me a cell phone in case of emergency, I never really needed it until now. After some slight fumbling, I was able to add them into my phone. Ah, finally, I’m able to communicate with them again. My near-euphoric delight was interrupted by the growling of our stomachs. 

“Ah, hey, let’s eat, guys! Guess I got so excited I forgot to dig in, haha~” Himiko’s cute growls brought us back to the situation at hand. Oh, wait...

“Ah, you’re right! I should eat before my roll gets cold. Let’s all talk tomorrow night, okay? I’ve got plans.” I spoke out loud, unaware of my classmates around me, before looking down. Both Shuichi and Himiko chuckled. Haha…

I missed both of them.

Chapter 8

Sunday approached quicker than I thought. I woke up that morning with my dad tampering with my drawers, a light red jacket draped over his left shoulder.

“Come on sport, we gotta get going! Today’s the big day! It’s gonna be so much fun. You’re gonna help me work a bit today, but hey, you’re getting paid same as me! The boss offered, wouldn’t you believe! Ah, today’s gonna be great! He’s even buying you a lunch!”

It had been a while since I’d seen my father this happy. He’s been so good to me. I couldn’t help but chuckle as a coy grin seeped through my face.

“Ah, yeah! I’m glad we get to spend some time together.”

He walked me out to the kitchen, where a buffet was waiting for me: toast, bacon strips, pancakes, and eggs all arranged in an orderly fashion. My hungry mind said nothing and jumped straight for the food.

Breakfast passed by quickly, and soon we were in the car heading for my dad’s work. For context, he had told me he helped write some television shows following the Final Killing Game. There was a large need for writers, and my father jumped on that train early and made some good spots on some newly popular TV shows.  
The building itself was covered with a huge H plastered on the front end. It stood at the end of a long street, all populated with businessmen making calls. A single coffee shop stood in the middle of it all, and a line of men blocked the street. Father drove to a nearby parking garage and walked me past the crowds into the end building.

The elevator ride up to his office was surprisingly short. I could feel the ground lifting up beneath me. As the elevator opened…

My ears nearly exploded at the sound as a cluster of party poppers signaled my arrival. A huge banner stood at the back of Father’s office, with the words “WELCOME HOME” written in sparkling block letters.

“Welcome home, Maki!” The crowd of workers screamed in unison. I… I can’t believe they’d do this for me. But, home? I… they’d accept me in their home..?

A man stood in front of all the rest, being the only one dressed in formal attire. He spoke to me, “Ms. Harukawa! No, Maki, we would like to welcome you here to our office. You’re one of us, okay? We’re really proud of what you’ve done this past year. We’d like to make you part of our group, just like everyone else.”

I… My heart was racing from excitement. “Thank you! Thank you so much.”

Tears rolled down my face, as I smiled to address everyone. My father walked me down towards the businessmen, and showed me around his office. Everyone had such lovely smiles, and gave me hugs. Some gave me candy, others called me “sport” like my father, I couldn’t help but carry my stupid grin the whole time. 

I ate lunch with everyone, too! They made me little sandwiches, which were so good. Everyone was really welcoming. 

With about 2 hours left in the work day, some of Father’s coworkers asked me to help with a storyboard for a new show they were creating. It was what they called a “situational comedy” starring what was supposed to be a quirky cast of characters. Apparently, it was an entirely new genre. The whole time, I wore a chipper smile. The staff was so nice and helpful, too.

It was a good day. I still can’t believe the staff was that nice to me. Would… everyone I’d meet on this tour be that nice? Whether I should follow this tour was but one thought among many others on the drive home that night. 

The moon was peeking over the glistening horizon on the ride home. It was such a peaceful atmosphere. At some point during the ride, while I was staring out to such a bright horizon, I drifted off to sleep.  
The smell of chicken breast and string beans was wafted into my nose, causing me to wake. Dinner had been served. I quickly rushed to the kitchen, and sat down between Mother and Father like usual. Each of them had a warm smile on their faces, as they squeezed my hands. For dessert, they had made my favorite: jelly balls and boba tea. The scent of strawberries hovered in the air. 

Seeing such warm reactions today… made me consider joining the tour. 

Maybe… I should trust Tsumugi’s “final wish.” It’ll be fun, getting to spend more time with Himiko and Shuichi. And I get to meet a lot of new people every day. But… would I have to leave my parents? I’d have to ask about that later. In any case, my lips parted the words I feel I had been longing to say for some time:

“Mom..? Dad..? I… think I’d like to go on this tour.”

Chapter 9

Opening my phone, I texted the same to Shuichi and Himiko. Both were initially responding with mixed confusion, but the former figured out what happened today and agreed. I explained to them how nice and warm everyone had been, and how I felt that we should take this chance. After some persuasion, I was able to get everyone on board.

The next day, Father had me call the Team Danganronpa office. I told them how I felt. I could hear audible celebration on the other side, causing the same sly grin to form on my face. 

“Thank you so much! We’ll start in 10 days!! Make sure you’re prepared. Mr. Saihara and Ms. Yumeno have already agreed as well. I’m glad you all accepted.” The voice came from the same watched man who had proposed the offer initially. 

“Oh, wait! What about my parents?” I shakily mentioned, i probably should’ve asked that first.

“Of course, they’d come along. We’d provide food and lodging for all of you, don’t worry.”

I told Mother and Father the news. They both held each other’s hands, almost dancing in joy. My mother, more elated than I’ve ever seen her get, spoke: “Ah, I’m so excited! We’ll all have so much fun together~”

The next week and a half seemed to pass like a breeze. I was able to gather with Himiko and Shuichi over the next weekend, too! School was no mind, as it didn’t really matter to me anymore.

The night before we were supposed to leave, I got a phone call from the watchless man before. He told us to meet at the address of my school, explaining that there we would meet a special surprise guest, and later hold an assembly in front of who were shortly my classmates. 

The ride to my school felt familiar. Father was in a phone call with his office, listening to the work he would pick up while we were away. He told me he would drop me off and return for the assembly, and then tour with us from then onward. 

Himiko was standing outside, with (I assume) her parents not far away, both respectively in a phone call. Faint sounds of directions and “where the cameras should go” echoed from within the interior of the school. 

“Ah, hey Himiko! Are you excited for today! I’m a bit nervous myself, but I can’t wait to get this started!” I giggled.

“Hey, Maki! I sure am! I can’t wait to impress the students with my magic!” Himiko formed her typical sweet smile towards me, locking her fingers around hers and jumping slightly.

So she hadn’t lost her talent, huh? I wonder why she didn’t, and I did. Did I do something wrong? In any case, Shuichi soon arrived and stepped out of a black stretch limousine, dressed in a void black spring coat. 

“Maki! Himiko! You guys ready to get this show on the road?!” Shuichi exclaimed to us, tilting his head to the left in waiting. Both of us exclaimed we were, all of us laughing together. It was nice to relax so casually with both of them, with no threat of execution or murder hanging over anyone’s heads. Things had finally changed for all of us.

The two men who showed up at my house, with 4 other men I had never seen, were inside, beckoning for us to enter. They led us to a room behind the assembly hall, which was spacious, filled with lights and cameras, and contained a miniature room to the side that was being used as a temporary dressing and makeup room for the 3 of us, as well as our special guest that he mentioned. He led us to a snack bar, where the 3 of us shared some water and miniature sandwiches similar to the ones I’d had not too long ago. 

Time passed fairly quickly, and soon it was time for us to get prepared for the assembly. He said afterwards, we’d have an interview and then dinner. 

Just as Shuichi, Himiko, and I were directing ourselves to the waiting room, the “special guest” mentioned appeared from within. Her hair was long, separated into straight, thin, blonde strands. She wore a pink sweater vest reminiscent of a school uniform, though much more snug. She walked with an air of dissidence, seeking to avoid any attention to herself, yet her figure seemed to provide the opposite. Her fingers were slender, painted with a glossy pink polish at the nails.

This girl, once alerted to our presence, quickly walked forward and introduced herself as Koeda Akamatsu. 

The last name Akamatsu rung deep bells in my head. Her sister was the first of us to experience the brutal executions in the Final Killing Game. The sight of her body was still fresh and vibrant in my mind, making me shudder in fear and anxiety.

"Ah, you're Maki, right? I'm Koeda. I remember you from Danganronpa! It's.. nice to finally meet you. I'm sure you've already figured out who I am, haha.." she looked off towards the ceiling, her lips pursing.

Shuichi immediately figured out who she was, his eyes widening in shock before he covered his mouth with his hand. A few seconds passed, and his hand drifted down, when he finally spoke:

"Ah, I see. It's nice to meet you too. No need for our introductions, then." Shuichi held a stupefied expression. Thankfully I wasn't the only one who didn't know what to say. Himiko said nothing either; her hands were gripping the rim of an imaginary hat, covering her expression from the rest of us.

"In any case, today you're going to talk about ourselves in front of everyone, namely our current home lives and families. I'll be in back, and after the assembly in here we're going to shoot an interview together. That's what I was told, anyway... it'll be live, so make sure you've got your best smile prepared!" She shined a bright smile towards us, her expression beaming.

"Oh, and Himiko, would you be willing to do some magic for the audience at the assembly? It'd be ad-libbed but I'm sure they'd love to see your work for real."

Huh? But we lost our Ultimate Talents after the game ended. At this point, I'd figured they were never real. Maybe she didn't realize.

"Ah, sorry to butt in here, but we don't have our talents any more. I don't think they were ever real to begin with."

Himiko and Shuichi synchronously replied with a confused "What?" and explained nothing about them had changed.

Koeda grinned, replying "Of course they do, silly!" and faced me, giggling. I'm so confused... is something wrong with me? Why can't I perform my talents? I looked away, sighing and shaking my head.

Maybe the public just didn't want me for me. Maybe they were so scared they locked me away and erased my past abilities.

"Ah, Maki..." Shuichi's inquisitive voice split my thoughts.

"I wonder if you lost your talent because it was never really your talent to begin with? You were introduced as the Ultimate Child Caregiver. Maybe after the Final Killing Game that's what it stuck to."

Koeda butted in: "Oh, yeah! I remember many people said they didn't want you to have that title be representative of you, so they went with what made everyone happier."

I guess that makes sense. Since I was an only child with two parents, I really didn't need to babysit at any point.

"Wait, one thing. What do you mean they didn't 'want' her to carry on the talent of the Ultimate Assassin?" Shuichi, carrying his trademark pose of glancing off in another direction with his hand shifting over his mouth, was lost in thought.

"I mean, after the Final Killing Game, Team Danganronpa had us cast another vote. You see, after the season ended, lots of people were worried about the three of you. A phenomenon had happened."

"A phenomenon? What do you mean?" Himiko, her head tilted almost completely to one side, quizzically started towards Koeda.

"Well, they thought that breaking the barrier between fiction and reality would cause you to die. This was during the epilogue before you returned and were picked up by the staff. An ending like this had never happened before, and people were confused and senseless as this had never happened before.

But it turns out, our final vote gave you a new reality. You had to eat, drink, breathe like the rest of us. The process of joining the game completely warped your personalities. I remember Sister was completely different after our final farewells to her. No one thought, nor wanted, a survivor to return to the real world. But your voices changed that."

Shuichi nodded, a small blush rising to the top of his covered cheeks. He nodded, probably piecing strings of random information I couldn't even begin to understand together. I understood the basics of what she meant, but the meaning was lost to me.

So the public wanted my talent to be what I originally said it was, huh? I thought back to that Sunday I spent with Father. The crowd gathering outside.

Maybe... these people really did want the best for me.

In any case, Koeda continued, the same warm smile formed on her face: "Ah, sorry, I probably sound really confusing, don't I? What I mean is, the process of ending the Killing Game set your virtual personalities to real selves. After that, the therapy you did was done for the betterment of you all, if you remember that. It was all over the news, too! This pure virtual human creation becoming real was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for everyone. That's why you're so special to us, and why this tour was created!" Koeda hugged us all individually

I suppose... the loss of my talent was more of a blessing. They really wanted me to be happy. My hand closed over my chest, and I started to tear up.

Bittersweet relief. I had been given a unique form of life completely modeled after the public, yet this time as a tool for happiness after all I had suffered.

Shuichi interrupted my thoughts with a question; whether it was rhetorical was anyone's guess at first.

"Wait, hold on. If Maki had her talent abilities erased, why didn't they erase her memory of the Killing Game entirely? Why only that one portion?" He stared towards the ceiling.

"Well, it was considered initially, but I believe Team Danganronpa was worried that if that was done, you'd cease to be 'real' like you are now. As I mentioned before, your virtual personalities morphed into your real selves, and erasing the Killing Game essentially would erase the 'self' you had been given."

My... real self would have been erased? But didn't erasing my talent already do that, in part? I had to ask.

"Hold on, wouldn't erasing my talent do the same thing?"

Before Koeda could answer, Shuichi butted in:

"And wait... why didn't they use what they proposed in the second season of Danganronpa? I believe it was something regarding implanting false yet normal memories... "

Koeda stuck her index finger's nail into her mouth, biting it with her lips and staring towards the floor. "I mean, they only erased her abilities, not her memories, silly! As for the false memories, well, I don't actually know. I'm sure it was considered at some point too, but I think if anyone found out they'd get really mad. After all, we gave you a real life, didn't we? Why would we want to take away your memories of your unique story? I know people were feeling really guilty after what happened. That's why we have this tour, after all~" With newfound confidence, she once again smiled at us.

In the end, the Final Killing Game had drastically changed the lives of everyone involved: the players, the writers, the public... Our plight had reached the hearts of the audience we turned ourselves against before. 

With a newfound sense of hope, I returned Koeda's warm smile. Himiko, noticing our change in expressions, changed the subject as well to her magic. 

"Oh, so what am I going to do for the show? I was thinking I could make the whole crowd disappear!" Her expression was triumphant, her tone even more so, but the idea was laughable. Everyone but her giggled.

We spent the next few minutes listening to Himiko's strange ideas, the atmosphere once again light and pleasant.

The same watched man had called the three of us to the dressing room to prepare. Showtime was close, he said.

A tool once used to take the lives of my leaders' bidding, now used as a model that others apparently idolized. The public had changed almost instantly from a bloodthirsty mass that set its own kind against each other to kill, to a peaceful, optimistic species looking for a brighter future.

The mistakes it has made has been changed through what the three of us had survived and fought to changed. Not only us, but the audience itself. Tsumugi, with her final moments, had desired to face retribution for the audience, so that we could be repaid for our hardship.

And now, this tour would spread the change that everyone had helped foster. Walking towards the dressing room, my gaze met Shuichi's. Both of us faced each other with a warm smile, a newfound determination in both of our heads. Through all of this suffering, new hope had been born. 

Maybe Shuichi had truly changed the world after all.

THE END

Thank you very much for reading!


End file.
